Tuesday, July 30, 2013

So Ya Wanna Classify Survival Bloggers Do Ya?





Another rainy day here today which means I was left inside to nap and contemplate more complicated thoughts and topics. Whenever I notice a small trend or common theme in the blogs I follow I take particular note and today just happened to present one of those common streams a bit.

Both HF over at Self Sufficient Mountain Living and Bison or James Dakin were intrigued enough today to blog about or mention Commander Zero's blog Notes from the Bunker.

It appears CZ was linked off of Rawles site last night and brought him a bit of notoriety. Not a thing wrong with that of course. I have discovered a few very refreshing and knowledgeable blogs linked off of Rawles site (Namely Patrice's Blog Rural Revolution, who I consider the premier level headed prepper female blogger of a long list linked on the left).

So occasionally a good blog is linked by Rawles. For that and that alone the "Survival blog" is well worth checking out. However the linkage of CZ made in impression which brought to light his most recent post which seeks to categorize many of today's survival/prepper oriented bloggers into several "themes". CZ's post is dated July 27th entitled "Last Blog Standing".

In it he mentions the recent tactical blogs, homesteaders, religious zealots, peak oil and maybe a few others. I really find no fault with his labels at all, perhaps he seems a bit judgmental but I certainly cannot fault anyone for that now can I?

Recently I had a discussion with Jacked Up Glock Mom over at her blog "Tales from the Clothesline"  about followers and the like. Remembering this discussion and then seeing a similar topic going on today is what brought forth this post. There are a couple of blog classifications I think were not mentioned by Commander Zero and conveniently never labeled in the survival/prepper blogs of today.

There is the warm fuzzy prepper blogs. These bloggers can be very entertaining and in fact I count more than a few of them as internet blogging friends. These blogs are the most popular because they deal mostly in kitty pictures, food posts and lamenting about specific stupidity without classifying it. Occasionally they will also post pictures of neat items or links to some valuable information as well but they never cross a certain line and some even go so far as being able to compliment contrary political views all at the same time. This last ability is a skill I certainly never learned but these blogs do it well. Mostly however they are polite to all ideologies without openly supporting one themselves. Another useful trait at times I guess.

Then there are the Koolaid survivalist blogs. These blogs are dangerous but can prove useful as well. Some are very informative and in fact I classify Survival Blog as the premier Koolaid Blog.  Why? Because they have huge resources and generally alot of knowledge but they just cannot shake off some mainstream ideologies that quite frankly get people killed even without a collapse scenario underway. The most blatant example of this is waving the "we are all alike flag" or what I like to call the Black Scientist myth created by Hollywood. By constantly painting unrealistic pictures they create a false feeling of familiarity which has over ridden a natural instinct of wariness in many people and ended badly. Some can never leave the racism label behind them but rest assured the common instinct that tells you to give a pack of wolves a wide circle when feeding on a carcass is anything but racism.

Which brings us to the last blog classification I will write about and that is the social realism survival blogs. These come in different levels of just how far the bloggers are willing to take it of course. Old habits are hard to break but they are in fact the best blogs out there because they promote common sense and an ability to look past the smoke screen of political correctness and see to the real heart of the matter. These blogs and bloggers are the true pioneers of the prepper blog community and every time I find one I link to it.

There are many skills and much knowledge survivalist, homesteaders, preppers whatever will need for whats coming but the most important skill will be the ability to look reality in the face and shake off social engineering myths and indoctrination programming. Reality will get you killed if you don't recognize it and an ability to see through a friendly facade is a favor you should thank mother nature and a realism blogger for daily.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!

 

34 comments:

  1. You raise several good points today. But the best (for me) is to listen to your gut.

    If that little lizard hind-brain instinct is telling you to stay away/run away from a person or situation, you'd best listen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RP - exactly. Too many people are living in a fantasy world and just do not know it. They have seen the same misinformation given to them so many times they believe it.

      It has gotten a number of people raped, murdered, beaten and robbed.

      Delete
  2. PP - you forgot my favourite category of blogs, which are - the people who ACTUALLY listened to Kurt Saxon (although, i will admit he is a little scary but man does that man know about survivalism...seeing as HE coined the term AND NOT Rawles), the people that read that the S may be hitting the fan soon, the people that paid attention to Rawles even tho he seems so much mightier than thou...as he's selling his soul, the people that pay attention to all kinds of different and seemingly-not-connected-but-really-are-connected-situations, the people who got out there and tried to learn how to grow and preserve their own food, the people that learned to save seeds, the people WHO put all of this info together for themselves and realized that it doesn't matter how much toilet paper you have stockpiled...

    yes, i am talking about the people that took it seriously enough to pay down all of their bills, find a rural community and then GOT THE HECK OUT OF DODGE.

    i have a few of those people listed on our blogroll. and it is to them that i turn...not to survivalblog. but i will listen and consider any advice that anyone on our blogroll has to offer...but it is the people who have actually gone and done it that i listen to the most. one of the best would be Harry Flashman...another would be SciFiChick, another would be the homesteading neophyte, Phelan. there are also a few more.

    armchair survivalists sitting in their suburban homes with all of their cool gadgets - pshaw, i say!

    in my mind, Lewis and Rawles are still too involved "in the world" - they may live in the boonies but they still head out to the cities in order to "sell" their wares. i don't like it when sites try to sell me something...all under the guise of being preppers/survivalists. i just don't and that's my opinion.

    because i can get the information, honestly and for free from those other sites. Harry, Sci and Phelan have never tried to sell me anything. and neither have you.

    so you need to come up with a category for the people who did it, done it and share it for free! the TRUE preppers/survivalists. again, my thought is if you are still sitting in the city or suburb...you aren't serious. and if you are trying to sell your wares, then your prepping/survivalism is questionable in my mind!

    sorry for the rant! your friend,
    kymber

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kymber - see now this is the one and only area that I read and look at your posts and comments and shake my head in low level frustration. You are such a knowledgeable and level headed woman in so many ways (ways that don't deal with VERMIN anyway) you are able to connect the dots as you mentioned but yet always seem to refuse to do so on your blog posts. Not saying you go the other direction at all so do not misunderstand me or take offense in anyway please.

      You just seem to almost always avoid any big issues on your blog is all I am saying. Not that your posts are not entertaining and worth waiting for.... Even when you are whiny about Jamby being away :)

      Delete
    2. Down South we call that a hissy fit.

      Remind me again why everyone is always referring to Kymber as such a sweetie?

      Ouch, get those claws back in!

      LOL

      Delete
    3. But Kymber...I am in the suburbs, for now atleast.

      Delete
    4. first off - Russell- thank you - because i am not JUST a sweetie! and PP, you know that when i go on one of my feminist rants - you know that it is true. our blog is not political...and i am not trying to preach to the masses...i am not trying to save anyone...i am just trying to share our life story. for ourselves for the future (think "The Notebook" and try not to groan, and think - "hey we'd really like to remember what we did last year and what worked and didn't work".)

      i am a believer in that you can't change people unless you show them a different way - that's how it worked for me and that's what i believe. i love you PP, i love the way your mind works and i love the path that you have followed. i think it is working very well for you...but please don't push it on to me.

      my blog is about what we do each day...and how we live our lives. what we are grateful for, and how much thanks we have. not how we vote. i think that you know from comments and emails that i have very strong opinions about very many things...but the point of my comment is that - i seriously listen to people who actually DO things. not just talk about things. and if you think that i need to be more political on my blog...well, if my blog was political, i would agree with you. please go back and read my very first post. i thought that i had made it very clear that our blog was about our lives. and it still is. our blog is about living, loving and enjoying. i could tie myself up in knots all day about the sh*t that is wrong with the world. but i refuse to do so.

      that doesn't mean that i won't go on some serious rants on other people's blogs. and i think that you know my position on most things. and i think that you know from my comments, and from emails shared, that i have very serious opinions. but i want our/my blog to be a safe place, for us, and for everyone else, from all of that. there are enough political blogs out there for that. i am a spiritual, fun, happy person by nature and i just want to give that side of myself a place to be.

      i hope that you understand. and i think that the one who understands me the most is, and always has been, Russell. thank you Russell.

      please provide any additional thoughts here pp. i will keep this page open and refresh regularly. thank you for being so honest with me. it is the only way for a true friendship to grow. i have always honoured your friendship. and honesty. thank you for entrusting me with both of those things!

      your friend,
      kymber

      Delete
    5. Kymber dear I think the best way to explain the problem as I see it isn't in looking at it as a difference in opinion between us but as something others take as validation. A good example would be Patrice's post on the "I Need Feminism" thing a few weeks ago. The number of her readers that were totally floored at her opinion and had been reading her blog and using it to validate their own opinions before Patrice made her statement were staggering.

      In the end it isn't that I find your blog frustrating at all. It is that I think your opinion might make a difference and you don't give it in a format that can be delivered to make a difference. If you see what I mean...

      Delete
    6. Or I should say in a format that would deliver maximum effect. :)

      Delete
    7. PP - i understand what you are saying and don't take offense at all. however, to try and clarify - i am not trying to preach or teach on our blog - there are a million blogs out there for people to learn about prepping and/or survivalism. we share our lives on our blog and if someone can learn something from that, well that's great. but i do not intentionally set out to teach anything - that's not what it's for. and strangely enough, the majority of our blog readers are american - so any of our political thoughts wouldn't matter. we can't b*tch about Obama - he's not our president! and so a lot of the issues that our american readers face, simply don't affect us.

      i explained in my very first post that we learned about prepping and were very heavily involved in the american preppers network and the canadian preppers network. we ran the canadian preppers network for a couple of years and it was there that we shared what we knew and what our beliefs and opinions were. but once we decided to get out of dodge and bug out for real - we decided if we started a blog, it would be for us. i don't need my blog as a platform for anything other than who we are and how we live our lives.

      does any of this make sense?

      your friend,
      kymber

      Delete
    8. JUGM, Gurlie - jam and i lived in the suburbs until 2010. then we bugged out. it seems that you and Senior are now considering the same thing. everyone involved in prepping/survivalim eventually gets to a point where you make the decision to either bug in or bug out - and everyone's situation is different. i am not saying that you guys are "lesser preppers" - what i am saying is that if you really, truly believe that it is going to h*ll in a handbasket - then you need to get out of the cities and suburbs.

      Delete
  3. Carolyn - Nope you were lumped in with the level headed prepper females. I cherish each and everyone of you honest girls. You may disagree with me on things, which is good, but unlike most people you never take things personally and that is another very important trait.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is also the Demographics to consider.

    Best as I can tell since at lest the 90s, the "typical" prepper has been in their mid-50s, fits into the category of "some college", and seems to be little more outdoors inclined than typical. Unfortunately their physical attributes seem to be roughly on par with the rest of that demographic.

    I am guessing that their is an age limit (where did all the 70s preppers go) at which people have enough immediate age/economic related issues that prepping/survival start taking a serious back seat. In the book survey of the 90s that I read, it looked like they hit a wall around retirement and sold off whatever $ worthy items they had on hand, and were living in the typical situation that someone with no savings living on SS and/or disability.

    The typical prepping blogger is generally younger than this audience. Many of them have small businesses which seems to lead to the two outcomes that are so common with small businesses: disaster or advantageous economic situation, without a whole lot of middle ground.

    That difference in demographics I think leads to a lot of questionable advice. That some of the advice comes attached with a business proposition, I don't have much of a problem with. But it is very much "buyer beware", and "fool and their money" territory.

    Any prepper who is closer to 60 than to 50 needs to be more considerate of what has happened to other folks wit hour a financial backup plan. Prepping is not at its best when it is pushed as some sort of civil religion, and a thought might be given that they might still be using money for some time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Russ - I certainly agree with your demographics point. Not sure how it equates into the various flavors of the blogs. I mean I see how it can but I didn't see you clarifying that aspect of it.

      Yet I agree with the point of views.

      Delete
    2. Sorry, I wasn't all that clear. It was actually (in a sideways sort of way) supporting Kymber's rant.

      When you categories the blogs, I think it helps to also look at the audience. I have no problem with people talking about how they are living their life. But the whole "advise column" idea is one I am suspicious of.

      Remember when the VP of the U.S. said that people should get themselves a shotgun for defense. There was a seriously funny video showing various young (inexperienced) ladies knocking themselves over trying to get a handle on it.

      But how many times have people said things about how important a shotgun is as a survival weapon? Lots. And that's the problem. You don't know your audience. It's one thing to talk about your shotguns and why you like it, it is another thing to start making specific recommendations.

      This fits in with the Kymber's rant about soft peddled commercial interests.

      Delete
    3. Russell - i agree that you need to consider the audience when categorizing blogs. and our blog was never intended to be an advice column. i am always wary of blogs that try to sell me something - i don't like it!

      your friend,
      kymber

      Delete
  5. I have a small group of blogger friends that I list as Bloggers in Trust. With the exception of survivorblog they are not peddling wares. I noticed too many running around like chicken little saying the sky is falling.

    While I don't have much experience in prepping like many others, I post about my views, or just to pass on information I think would make good discussion. I do enjoy reading many posts sometimes I comment sometimes I don't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob - I would say you are the prepping link/opinion blog with a good dash of political thrown in. Also very good for regional insight depending on where you are at. Certainly not a Koolaid blog :)

      Delete
    2. Thanks PP. I am just a humble person, giving my point of view, and try to learn from others.

      Delete
  6. Senior and I don't think of ourselves as the A-typical prepper. We just like to think that we are prepared for any thing that can happen. Wether its natural or man made. And here in my location it will probably be natural since we are 15 miles from the Ocean.

    We currently do live in the burbs of sorts, its in a rural area, but a housing development. But does that make me less of a prepper then anyone else? I like to think not. Senior and I have worked very hard to take care of our future. I know how to grow things, I perserve food, we stock pile dry goods, and I grind wheat to make my own bread. If something happens and we lose power, I will sit back fat and happy with a cup of coffee that I made from my percolater on one of our coleman stoves, while most of my neighbors will be freaking....
    We have reduced our debt by getting rid of my subaru payment, now I drive a 97 Jeep Cherokee, but its paid off. And hopefully if God willing and the creeks don't rise we can be able to move up permantly to our Country Estate..but that is going to depend on where Senior lands a Job once he is finally done with college classes.

    When writing my blog, I try to post about what i know...If I get writers block then I just don't post anything. I know a couple of bloggers that embelish and or fabricate their material, and frankly it just drives me Wonky. They are in it for the readership and the accolades, they live and breathe their blog...and frankly I find there are more pressing issues in this world then how many readers I can get. You, PP actually made me see that during our conversation on the subject. I just know if it is something warm and fuzzy I write about, or some politcal issue of the day..I will rest easy that night knowing I did not lie to all you good people.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JuGM - Personally I don't really judge anyone on where they live. Sure the best set of circumstances is owning land int he country with a spring and fish and cattle and a bunker full of arms and ammo with a hidden APC in the barn.

      Like that's ever gonna happen.

      As I said having a plan that fit's your circumstances and being able to see things clearly is the most important step. You two certainly do not have a problem there at all.

      Yes a mixture of warm and fuzzy with strong opinion is the perfect balance.... In my opinion :)

      Delete
    2. Gurlie - see my explanation above. i don't think it makes you "lesser preppers", but at some point in prepping you may make a decision to either bug in or bug out. WE chose bug out - but that might not be the best answer for others. it all depends on the situation.

      and in our very first post on our blog, we explained that we are not writing for an audience and could care less how many readers we had. it has been nice to find the readers that we do have and exchange links because i learn something from everyone listed in my blogroll. and they are not all preppers/ survivalists, some of them are just ordinary people sharing their lives. i enjoy that!

      your friend,
      kymber

      Delete
  7. The one thing I have to say about all of the blogs is that you have to go read them with an open mind and take things usually with a grain of salt. I'm usually able to glean off quite a bit of useful information on any blog. I know I'm not one of those that believe in just one 'school' or type of prepping. You have to look at many different types and avenues.

    One interesting thing I have noticed at least in my area is that quite a few people grew up being a little more self sufficient than average. When you live over 30 miles from just a standard size grocery store you tend to make sure you don't have to make very many trips lol. I know the more I become self sufficient the more confidence I gain and feel that I can not only survive a situation but be able to help my neighbors out and they help me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quinten - Well yes. Many blogs may have different opinions of political/social views and still have a wealth of useful information. However there are some that don't.

      I really wasn't trying to classify or be judgmental or even promote anyone doing that so much as adding a few categories to the ones mentioned. I do think promoting the multi-cult agenda is about the most dangerous thing a survival/prepper blog can do however.

      Delete
  8. Gosh. I like Rawles' blog. I don't like everything about it, like the Magic Christian attitude and the "let's kill all the wolves and bears with poison" type stuff. But I look at it as a newspaper. I don't agree with everything I read in the paper but I sure do learn some things.

    Rawles commands a big following, and it's international. He carries some weight in the self sufficiency community, which I grant you is a kind of rainbow coalition that shares a few common precepts and that's about it.

    Commander Zero is a good blogger, and to be referenced on Rawle's blog is really something, like having an article in the Washington Times. The Other Ryan and Stephen both share that honor from past postings on Rawles' and they are both darn good bloggers.

    When it comes to classifying the genre, I still think in terms of "survivalists" which is what I consider myself to be, and "preppers" a term I really dislike. I know it's not fair but that show Doomsday Preppers makes me think less of "prepping" than I should. They just dug up a lot of clowns for that program, and I know some good folks out there just use the term because it's current. My bad there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HF - I have no problem with CZ or his blog at all. I read it frequently but don't link to it because I don't think he links to others anyway. It's a good blog but not so big that it has qualified for special rules like "Survival Blog".

      My problem with Rawles and the blog is that he promotes the exceptional Multi-Cult scenario theory as a rule and that in turn causes those who fall under that spell to disregard obvious warning signs that they really should be heeding. He also refuses to acknowledge and/or promotes out right biased lies especially in the gender area. A good example was when he waxed all poetic a few years back about having your daughters dress as young boys because men were such sexual predators. I believe I sent him a link to a site that listed all the female teachers who have been busted for doing their students over the last couple of years.

      As far as genre classification I was trying to stay away from that I was just expanding on the list CZ began :)

      Delete
    2. To expand on that back to the male predator thing. He was promoting a myth against one group while claiming others are victims and attempting to go the other way when dealing with them.

      I have no problem admitting some men are sexual predators but ya know so are women. Do not make a big deal out of protecting yourself or yours against one select group while trying to remove those same precautions from other groups.

      Delete
  9. PP-
    I honestly had no idea that there was so much dissent in so called "prepper" & "survivalist" circles.
    No kidding.
    What I do know is that a lot of my readers came to me via Mr.Raweles,
    (who by the way I think the world of & wish was my neighbor, but can't and don't agree with his world view )
    and I'm forever grateful to him. I'm sure like the rest of us he knows what's best & what works for his own website.
    For what it's worth, the last I checked, Survival Blog no longer links to me either which is just fine.

    The view from here is that I think the different "flavors" amongst prepper & survivalist blogs has everything to do with worldview, life experience & skill set.
    It has not been lost on me that many hardcore survivalists & preppers are ex-military and/or women who are products of large metro areas & suburbia. I see a lot of really,really stupid advice dished out in prepper bloggerland.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PP-
      I am really retarded & misunderstood your post and didn't follow the links.
      When you said "linked off" I thought you meant he removed the link to CZ.
      I'll go away now....and stop embarrassing myself...

      Delete
    2. Granny Miller - I am not aware there is any dissension myself and I hope my post isn't causing any. As I said I was just adding to a list another blogger started I am not trying to judge any blog although I did use this opportunity to call attention to a major gripe I have about one.

      There are actually survival blogs out there that are almost completely Liberal/Feminist in their ideology believe it or not. Why I think I link to one or two actually as some of their info is worth more than their opinions are damaging.

      Your last sentence about stupid advice is the key. I like to see people who can see that for what it is :)

      Thank you for commenting!!!

      Now I am going to check out your blog and see if I should link to it since you write so level headedly (Is that a word?) and all.

      Delete
  10. I sometimes wonder if people who are running survivalist blogs or writing apocalyptic fiction are so afraid of being called racist that they go way overboard. There was a novel called "Shatter" that was a big hit a few years back.It took place in Texas. But the villians were all white bikers and the Ku Klux Klan. Many of the protagonists were black, or hispanic, etc. Nothing wrong with that on the face of it, but it detracted from the overall quality of the novel because it was so obvious and so contrived. I know Rawles goes to great pains to demonstrate he is not right of center, and I sometimes think he must be disguising his true feelings for political correctness. If so, it didn't help much because Morris Dee, the Sauron of the Left, still hates him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HF - I was particularly amused by the SPLC attack for that very reason and I am sure the ultimate underlying reason hits close to your theory.

      Yet that makes him part of the problem in my opinion.

      Delete

Leave a comment. We like comments. Sometimes we have even been known to feed Trolls.